1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of massage therapy, specifically, to massage devices useful for topical manipulation to determine the location of irritated trigger-points and with point-of-pressure applications to reduce the attendant pain.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Trigger point therapy is one of the largest and fastest growing muscle therapies today. Janet Travell, M.D., the White House physician under former President John F. Kennedy, and Dr. David Simons initially coined the phrase “trigger point therapy” to describe their then cutting-edge treatments involving saline injections into muscle, stretches, and heat therapy to resolve trouble spots. Travell used these techniques to treat JFK's back pain. In the 1970's, Bonnie Prudden advanced Travell and Simons's methods by developing a system of non-invasive techniques, which are widely used today by professional athletes, massage therapists, and physical therapists.
Trigger points are areas of pain in or around muscles that usually radiate pain in a predictable pattern. When a person is injured, the muscle automatically contracts around the painful site to support and protect the area. If the pain is resolved, the muscles can relax. However, if the pain persists, muscles can become continually contracted. Sometimes the contractions press on nerves causing tingling, numbness, and more pain. Like a compressed sponge, a contracted muscle cannot hold much blood, which deprives it of healthy circulation. Consequently, the muscle does not receive enough oxygen and nutrients, waste products accumulate, and fatigue and soreness results. This effect can also irritate nerves in the area, causing pain to spread beyond the contracted area.
Trigger points are relieved primarily by applying pressure to receptors in the nervous system long enough to deprive the trigger point of its oxygen supply and inactivate muscle spasms. Pressure can be applied with a thumb, finger, knuckle, or elbow depending on the size, depth and thickness of the muscle being compressed. Most trigger points are easy to detect by locating the pain, applying pressure and experiencing the subsequent pain release. However, sometimes, the real source of pain may be a “boss” trigger point located quite a distance from the “satellite” trigger point (the pain site). For example, a boss trigger point for the wrist, forearm and hand may actually be in the region of the shoulder blade. Thus, pain associated with the wrist, forearms and hand may require treatment of the boss trigger point, not the localized satellite point.
There have been many massage therapy devices developed over the time but a limited number of these devices have a functional relationship to applying trigger point therapy. This is due to the relatively brief period that the trigger point therapy has been granted acceptance in the physical therapy field and the precision needed to remove trigger points. An additional requirement for a trigger point massage device used for trigger point therapy is that it must provide sufficient pressure to a specific location. Ideally, massage should be possible without the help of another person.
One example of a massage ball device is disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. No. D419,681 issued to Chen. This design configuration has an array of nodules affixed to a hand-held platform. By design, this device does not have a capability to locate and treat specific irritated trigger points because the multiple nodules are spaced close together on the same plane. This device is used to massage a larger area rather than put pressure at a specific spot in the muscle. In addition, as a hand-held device, it is limited to a user's reachable personal body areas or would require a second person's assistance.
Another example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,839 issued to Wincek. This device has an array of massage balls positioned and attached to a contoured base board. The fixed-position ball array limits the potential for locating and treating irritated trigger-points because it also cannot focus on a specific trigger point. The user lies in a relatively fixed supine position on the device with the fixed-ball contact positions massaging trigger points in the back and neck. As with Chen, the massage balls are on a horizontal plane and the user cannot easily position himself on the board to focus pressure on a single trigger point. In addition, the device is large and not portable.
Another example is disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. No. D403,076 issued to York. This massage ball design is limited by the fact that it is a hand-held device and can only reach certain body areas or would require a second person's assistance. In addition, the relative size and hardness of the roller-ball configuration offers limited potential to locate and treat specific irritated trigger-points.
An example of a self-massage device is shown in PCT Patent Application No. WO 89/05622 by Mauch consisting of a flexible ball made of a spherical plastic core and a plurality of nodes. A single person can use the massage ball to reach a variety of places by rolling the ball between the person and a rigid surface. But the large number of small nodes means that there are limited spaces between the nodes. Thus, Mauch's device does not allow a person to focus pressure on specific trigger points. In contrast, when placed between a rigid surface and a person, a trigger point therapy device must provide sufficient and localized pressure to release the trigger point.
Morever, unlike any of the above-described simple massage devices that are designed to increase circulation to a contracted area, a trigger point therapy ball is used to limit blood flow (oxygen) at a specific location in order to relax muscle and ease pain.
Prior to the present invention, there has not been a self-massage device specifically designed for trigger point therapy. Therefore, there is a need for a device that allows a single person to focus pressure on specific trigger points on all parts of the body. The device could be used by an individual for a self-massage or an experienced masseuse to provide trigger point therapy.